An Unlikely Pair
by Instant Water
Summary: Percy Weasley is chosen to try for the place as potions assistant right after he loses his job. This pleases everyone, except the current potions master Severus Snape. What will happen when two VERY unlikely wizards embark on a truly strange journey. R/R
1. The 'Letter'

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Wow, this is my first attempt at fan fiction...EVER. So please be kind, I hope you like this story but if you don't please tell me how I can make it better.  
  
There are no warnings for this chapter but the rating may rise with other chapters, and there might be a chance (read: incy-winsy, little, microscopic) that there is slash in the later chapters. It depends on my mood.  
  
Severus Snape will be one of the main characters, he just doesn't feature to heavily in this chapter or probably the next.  
  
BTW- I can't claim to have read the Fifth book, and I can't remember much of the fourth so this story isn't going correspond with the real time line, but then again it is fan fiction isn't it.  
  
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CHAPTER ONE  
  
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Percy Weasley sighed as he ran a pale and delicate hand through his hair. For the last few hours he had poured over the latest copy of the International Wizarding Supply Standards, verifying the statistics from Britain against that of Europe. The job was dull and tedious, but Percy, in his single-minded determination, had tackled the task as if it was of the upmost importance.  
  
Just as he started to compare the age of Flobber worm juice used in Hogwarts to the I.W.S.S a sleek grey screech owl landed on his desk. Percy recognised the owl immediately and felt his chest puff out in pride. The owl was the Minister's personal and he didn't send it after just anyone.  
  
He reached out across the desk and untied the owl's burden. The creature snapped at him before flying out the window and back to its master. Percy stared at the parchment in his hand with something akin to awe. He turned the scroll over and sure enough it bore the official red stamp of the Ministry.  
  
He opened the letter, taking great care not to damage the seal, he could cut it off and put it in his treasures box, along with his school reports, head boy badge and the picture of Penny. His eyes darted from side to side as he scanned the letter  
  
It read:  
  
Ministry Of Magic  
Britain  
229 Diagon Alley  
  
Mr Percival Weasley  
  
It is our duty as the members of the current Ministry of Magic to inform you of your selection in the initial test of Potion Master.  
  
It is a great honour to be chosen, as only 10 wizards from the whole population qualify successfully to the preliminary list. We wish to inform you that there is no option for withdrawal *, as you were the second choice nomination. As law stands, it is not within your power to refuse after the withdrawal of Mr Draconis Memoch Malfoy.  
  
You shall be expected at 13.00 sharp outside the front entrance of the Ministry headquarters on Wednesday the 13th of July. Failure to comply will result in a sentence of 5 years to Azkaban, or the permanent removal of your wand.  
  
You will be required to bring with you a regular size lead cauldron, roll of standard blank parchment, non-smudging black ink and quill.  
  
On behalf of the Ministers Board  
  
C. Fudge  
  
*- The option may become available to participants who are unable to attend because death (their own)  
  
Percy was still for a few moments, of all the letters that he had expected that was certainly not one of them. He briefly toyed with the idea of taking the rest of the day off to celebrate at his favourite restaurant but the urge was subdued.  
  
He placed the letter carefully in the inside pocket of his robe. There was plenty of time for him to get excited later but right now he had standards to check.  
  
@ @ @ @  
  
By the time he had completed updating the recent files to his standards and submitted a full report on the variations of British supplies compared to the rest of the world, it was time for him to leave for the Burrow.  
  
The Hogwarts year was well under way so, as usual, the only members of the Weasley family at home were Fred, George and Molly and Arthur. The note had been forgotten for the most part since he received it. There was no one at work to show it to and if he announced it to his colleagues they would just use it against him in the long run.  
  
Percy walked into the kitchen, "Mum" he called out, " are you in here? It's Percy". Molly climbed out slowly from the top shelves of the pantry and rushed over to hug him, her apron covered in muck and grime.  
  
"Percy, how as your day dear ", asked Molly before she thought of something better, "no, wait. Take these out to the kitchen table and tell us all over dinner". With that she pushed him through the door, a plate of steaming chicken in one hand and a bowl of rice in the other.  
  
The smell of food brought Fred and George out of their room and down to the kitchen table, where they were in deep conversation.  
  
"It needs more-"  
  
"-shock Fred, it needs shock", cut in George.  
  
"Yes, but, my dear George, there is a severe lack of bang". Fred ended their conversation when he saw his 'favourite' brother was home.  
  
"Perce, how was work? Let me guess, the Minister came over and personally congratulated you on that wonderful report you wrote on, what was it?" "Feather use in quills" chimed in George, happy to supply his twin with the answer.  
  
"Ah yes, thank you Georgie, the most common feathers used in quills"  
  
Percy's face got redder and redder until it was almost the same shade as his hair, it was mostly out of embarrassment but there was a bit of that anger he always felt when he talked with the twins.  
  
Molly entered the room and immediately diffused the situation in the way only a mother could. She snapped out commands in quick succession and her orders were followed. "Fred, George- table now, Percy- wash your hand, ARTHUR- DINNER TIME"  
  
Dinner went the same way it usually did. Fred and George joked around and talked amongst themselves about their latest inventions and Arthur discussed the latest muggle artefact he had discovered while Molly listened. The chance for Percy to make his announcement did not come until the end of dinner.  
  
"Umm, today I received a letter from Minister Fudge. I have been chosen to ...try out for the position of potions master assistant." Percy fumbled around in his pocket and withdrew the letter before handing it to his father.  
  
Molly was the first one to recover her breath, "Oh Percy that's wonderful you're such a talented boy. Where did you get it from, I wasn't any good at potions in my school days, it must be from your Great Uncle Edward he was so good at potions."  
  
She got up from her seat and wrapped him in a hug. Percy patted her head as he felt tears soak into his shirt right above his stomach. His father finished reading the letter and looked at him with pride shining in his eyes.  
  
"Congratulations Percy, I always knew that studying would pay off some day". The compliment from his father filled Percy's heart with pride, the opinion of his father meant a lot to him.  
  
The twins had picked up the letter after his father had discarded it and they were reading it with mirror frowns of concentration. When they looked up they were genuinely smiling, something that Percy hadn't seen directed to him too many times in the last few years.  
  
They seemed happy to watch him be smothered by his mother's affection without commenting for once, and Percy was glad, this was one of the best moments he had ever had.  
  
@ @ @ @  
  
Percy apparated into work the next morning at exactly with exactly one tenth of a second until 6.00a.m only to find that his office desk was bare except for a small note on the middle of the table.  
  
Minutes later he apparated back to he burrow, a shocked and heartbroken look on his face. He walked up through the kitchen and straight to his room where he proceeded to slam the door, much to the bewilderment of George who was sitting at the table.  
  
Mrs Weasley felt the waves of extreme sadness that came from her middle son from where she was washing clothes. Clothes were abandoned as she raced up to the bedroom of Percy. She loved all her children equally but there had always been something about Percy that had urged out motherly feelings.  
  
His door was locked but Molly had made the locks to grant her access to the room at any time. Percy was sprawled out on his bed, he had removed his ministry robe and flung it half out the window. Molly tsked as she retrieved it and hung it up carefully.  
  
"Percy, you need to take better care of your clothes. You'll need that robe for a long time and it's too expensive to keep on buying new ones."  
  
"No I won't", was Percy's despondent answer.  
  
Molly smiled at him and sat herself on the edge of his bed, " what are you talking about dear, you have a good career ahead of you".  
  
Percy turned his head to look at her, his eyes were blank and hard. "No I won't" he repeated, "I was fired".  
  
Molly instinctively waited for the smile that meant it was a joke as she did whenever she was talking with the twins but when nothing changed she patted his leg and took one of his hands in hers.  
  
After a moment of silence she asked, "what happened?" Percy shrugged his shoulders as much as he could and averted his gaze. Molly didn't know how he felt about the ministry but she was determined to comfort him as best as she could.  
  
Percy let himself be gathered up in her arms and he vaguely felt that she was stroking his hair, he was silent and she was willing to let him be. He stayed in the warmth of his mothers arms for almost an hour, it was only when he started squirming around that she released him and watched as he almost ran to the toilet.  
  
When Percy came out of the bathroom his mother had gone but there was a cup of tea and a piece of cake sitting on his bedside table. He sat down at his desk and did what he had always done best, study.  
  
@ @ @ @  
  
Ginny was surprised when Hermes fluttered through her window and crash- dived onto her bed. It wasn't the fact that Percy had sent her a letter, but more that for the first time in two years that he had sent her weekly letter on a Tuesday instead of a Wednesday.  
  
She scrambled over to Hermes and untied the note, ruffling his feathers while she was at it. She scooped out some of the owl treats that she kept in her drawer and settled down to read the letter as the bird flew away.  
  
Ginny's face erupted in a smile as she read the good news but by the end of the letter she looked as if she might break into tears any second. Hopping off the bed she picked up the note and went to find Ron.  
  
As usual he was up in his dorm room with Harry and Hermoine. Ginny crept up the stairs and knocked tentatively at the door. Not only was she cursed with shyness, her ill-fated crush on Harry was still alive.  
  
The door opened and she was very relieved when she saw it was Hermoine, who invited her in without questions. Ron however looked annoyed that one member of his family was invading his space. "What do you want Gin?" he asked, Harry shot him a glance, smiled at her and waved.  
  
"I got a letter from Percy today" here she stopped at the noise that Ron made, " he had good news and bad news." At this Ron perked up and looked vaguely interested, he gestured for her to go on.  
  
"The good news is that he was accepted to the starting exams as a Potions Assistant, and the bad is ...he got fired."  
  
Ron couldn't contain the laugh that erupted at the news. It just didn't seem possible that Percy could get fired from any job. Harry seemed torn between sympathy and amusement, she was already angry with Ron but at least he was trying.  
  
Hermoine however, had her thinking face on, the one that generally meant that Ron and Harry were in for a lecture or a new theory. " Ginny, what do you mean buy potions assistant?" she asked. Ginny shrugged then handed over the letter for Hermoine's inspection.  
  
She scanned it and then her face lit up and she shared her thoughts with all present. " This is a big honour for Percy, only 10 wizards in the whole world get accepted to even try out, and only one gets chosen as the Potion Master in training. It's very interesting, I want to know more about it, is anyone interested in coming up to the library with me?"  
  
But Hermoine, knowing what her friends were like had already gotten up and started for the door. When no one jumped up to join her she exited with a wave.  
  
Ron and Harry had gone back to looking at their Quidditch magazine and Ginny had occupied herself with re-reading the letter. Just as she was about to get up and leave Hermoine raced back in, a thick book under her arm.  
  
In between pants she managed to say, "You'll...never guess...what I...foundout"  
  
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In this story Percy is 20 or 21 years old, Ron, Harry and Hermoine are 16 and Ginny is 14/15. Snape is 38. I know this might not be fully accurate but it ties into my story this way.  
  
Sorry if that was a cliffhanger but I had to end it there. Please review, it would mean a lot to me. 


	2. The Exam

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Hello again.  
  
Well I finally updated, I'm sort of co-writing this with a friend and it's pretty hard to get it all together. On a happier note ^_~ I really thank all those who reviewed, it really makes me feel warm and gooey.  
  
To answer the few questions I got asked-  
  
Yes Percy was fired from his Ministry job, the ministry wanted him to stop coming to work and concentrate on the assistant position. If he got chosen it would make the British Ministry seem better ^_^  
  
And there might be slash, I'm a bit of a fan myself but my writing partner isn't too sure about it. But I will tell you that it will probably be Severus/Percy if there is any at all. They are my fave characters so it would make me happy too!!! =)  
  
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CHAPTER TWO  
  
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Ron and Harry looked up, knowing all to well that Hermoine got excited over any little thing she managed to find. Ginny on the other hand was not quite as experienced in the field of 'understanding Hermoine', and she bolted up with anticipation.  
  
It took a few seconds for Hermoine to gather up enough breath to speak, but when she was ready she shocked them all. " There is only one potions MASTER, there are heaps of teachers and alchemist's but only the original potion master can take an assistant. It's like an intense training period where the assistant learns all that is known about potions. In this time they must study almost constantly with the master and it takes them twenty years until they achieve the same status."  
  
Here she slowed, and it was obvious that she disagreed strongly with what she was about to say. " The assistant must be under the age of 25 and it can only be a male who takes the position, which is quite old fashioned. Wizards obviously haven't heard about women's right movements and the such, which is a pity because-" Hermoine trailed off as she saw the glazed look which was starting to creep into Ron's eyes.  
  
"-Well anyway, once the assistant is appointed they must sign away all rights to marriage and children. The reason I'm telling you all this is because you'll never believe who the current Master is...it's Professor Snape!"  
  
@ @ @ @  
  
Percy had not quite accepted the fact that he had been fired from his job in the Ministry. All through his years at Hogwarts there were a few things he was sure of one was that he would become Head Boy in seventh year, and the other was that he would become a Ministry worker after school.  
  
Now that one of those two things had been taken away from him, Percy was at a loss. In reality, the Letter (in his mind it was always referred to with a capital) could not have come at a better time. For the last week he had hardly left his bedroom, preferring to spend the hours hunched over his books.  
  
Molly hadn't seen the hectic study schedule that he had kept for the N.E.W.T.S and had become so worried about him that she had resorted to trying to charm his pumpkin juice to Shut Eye mixture. It had started to work, but as soon as he started to doze he had drank a potion to keep him awake.  
  
Tonight was the first night that he had happily fallen asleep, and it was no wonder. After all the next day was the day of the exam and Percy wasn't going to spoil it by not having enough sleep.  
  
@ @ @ @  
  
The sun had just risen and it bathed the Burrow with its weak rays. If anyone had taken the time to look in through the second window of the third story they would have seen a very unusual sight.  
  
For one of the only times in his life, Percy Weasley had slept in. Granted it was still only seven in the morning and most sensible people had not yet stirred it was a full hour and a half later than his usual rising time.  
  
At nine there came the usual bangs and shouts that signified the twins awakening and less that thirty minutes later they ran from the house, brooms in hand. At 11.30 Molly Weasley emerged from the house dressed in an old pair of gardening robes and a large straw hat.  
  
And that's how everything was when Percy awoke just after noon. Of course things didn't stay that way for long. Percy panicked and raced through the house grabbing his breakfast and running straight to the shower.  
  
Exactly 3 minutes later he emerged from the room with a white fluffy towel around his waist and a piece of now soggy toast in his mouth. It was a further 15 minutes more until he opened his bedroom door and double checked his gear as he munched thoughtfully on the same piece of wet toast.  
  
Percy stepped out of he house and into the sunshine, blinking at the rapid change in the lighting. Mrs Weasley smiled up at him, her face was drenched with sweat from the heat and hard work of uprooting gnomes.  
  
"Oh, good morning Percy. You do look lovely in your dress robes, you really should wear them more often. Good luck with the exam dear, I'd give you a hug or a kiss but we don't want you getting all dirty now, do we?"  
  
Percy smiled and shook his head, if it were any other child Molly would have been all over them. But she knew him too well and respected the fact that he didn't like being touched by anyone.  
  
He smiled at her again and opened his mouth to speak when he managed to see the wizard watch on his wrist. The time was 12.45 and Percy let out a surprised screech, before quickly apparating away from the Weasley household.  
  
@ @ @ @  
  
Percy secretly hated apparating, it was convenient in the way that it allowed him to travel almost anywhere he wanted, as fast as he wanted but he hated the feeling that it produced in his stomach.  
  
That lurching feeling, the same one he got when he was hurt by someone he cared for, or even the feeling he had in third year when Flint had cornered him in the dungeons and kicked him until he bled.  
  
The feeling wasn't as strong now as it had been as he first got his license, but the little lingering still made him queasy.  
  
He had been standing outside the Ministry for a few minutes. Hesitating wasn't really in his nature but the Letter had said that he would be met at the door, it hadn't said to enter the building if he was early.  
  
Percy bit at his lip, a nervous habit he had picked up long ago, and was just reaching for the door handle when there was the familiar pop of someone appartating in. The man was dressed in official ministry robes and he looked at Percy with contempt in his eyes.  
  
The man stepped closer to Percy and the odour of raw meat invaded Percy's nose, making him step back in revulsion. The man looked sorely offended and quickly reached out and grasped Percy's wrist, there was a brief feeling of disorientation and then they were...there.  
  
The room was white, everything from the benches to the large board at the front of the classroom. Even the other people in the room were dressed in white, and to Percy's surprise, when he looked down he saw that he was dressed in white as well.  
  
The other occupants ignored his arrival as well as his stuttered greeting. Percy shuffled over to the only empty desk, he was blushing with embarrassment and he knew it. He had always hated the Weasley blush that spread over his whole body like an ink stain.  
  
He had only just placed his equipment in its proper place when the board down the front of the room came to life. It coughed once or twice them silently began to write instructions.  
  
' Task 1- Complete multiple question paper. Circle only one answer per question and changes must be made in different coloured ink. You have 30 minutes begin ...NOW"  
  
Percy was about to panic. He hadn't seen a paper on the table and no one had given him one. His hand was reaching up when a sealed booklet landed on his table from mid air. He pulled his hand down quickly and looked around out of the corner of his eye to see if anyone had noticed his embarrassment.  
  
He slitted the booklet open and followed the simple instructions like writing his name and activating the paper with his wand. Percy looked at the first question, and almost sighed in relief. He was worried that the questions would all be on obscure texts, ones that he could not afford. He smiled as he pulled out his quill, things didn't look too bad.  
  
@ @ @ @  
  
Percy had finished the choice and written part of the exam and was now about to undertake the practical. It was the most important part of the test, worth a whole 50%. He watched nervously as the board cleared it's throat and started writing down the last set of instructions.  
  
'Task 3 Part 1- You will be given the names of a number of potions, you must then brew them correctly and label them. Once this is done you must concoct the antidote, if there is none then you must explain why.'  
  
'Part 2- Refer to the list on each table for the ingredients. Using these ingredients you must make as many different potions in the allocated time. Potions do not need to include every ingredient.'  
  
This was the part of the test that Percy had been dreading. He knew that his memory would pull him through most of the test, but when it came to the finer art of brewing potions he had some troubles.  
  
He stumbled a bit with the first potion batch he attempted but after a while it all came back to him. The little secrets he had picked up, the smells and the temperature were good ways to tell if the potion was ready.  
  
All the studying that he had put in over his school life and the last minute cramming was put to use, and when it came to brewing he found he had actually memorised most of the recipes.  
  
Percy found himself finished the first task way ahead of anyone else in the room. They were all going very slowly, trying to make everything by the book.  
  
The second part of the task came to him almost as quickly. His extensive memory allowed him to recall most of the potions he had ever learnt how to brew. In fact, Percy thought he was doing excellently right until the last few minutes.  
  
The potion he had attempted to brew was one that he had only recently read about. It was quite old and hardly useful, the only real use he could see was that it turned grass from light green to dark, and the only reason he tried was for extra points.  
  
He hadn't guessed that when the instructions said 'to let cool' they had really wanted him to charm the potion cold. His failure to do this resulted in an explosion of gigantic proportions.  
  
There had been one or two little disruptions so far, spilled potions or ones that fizzed over, but Percy's put them to shame. There was a gurgle and then the whole potion exploded, completely shattering his cauldron and dousing the whole room with orange and pink goop.  
  
Percy couldn't move, he was frozen to the spot with a curious mixture of shame and shock. It was only after the remains of his cauldron fell to the floor with a rather loud bang that Percy could open his mouth and say the first thing that came to mind,  
  
"...Oh dear".  
  
@ @ @ @  
  
Mrs Weasley was sitting by the fire, knitting in hand, when Percy apparated home. She went out to meet him at the door but he was already inside and when she saw him everything she was going to say disappeared.  
  
His normally impeccable robe was gone and in its place was a blindingly white shroud. This wasn't exactly what made her lose her voice, Percy was splattered liberally with a strange neon orange with specks of pink through out. It was on his hands, it was clumping his eyelashes together and had even managed to penetrate his usually slicked back hair.  
  
He stood there, watching her, waiting for her to laugh at him. He knew that she wouldn't and he was right, instead she gathered him in her arms.  
  
"How was it? Come in, dinner is on the table, you go get cleaned up while I call the boys."  
  
Percy gladly walked in the direction of the bathroom and at the sound of his brother's footsteps on the stairs he made a dash for privacy. He wasn't quick enough and Fred and George rounded the corner and stopped dead in their tracks.  
  
Percy used their shock against them and quickly shut himself in the bathroom, unaware of their conversation on the other side of the door.  
  
Fred continued to look at the door as he spoke, knowing that his twin was listening. "We didn't think the old bucket over the door trick would work on Percy, did we?" he asked.  
  
George didn't answer. He wasn't ignoring his twin, it was just that he knew, as well as his twin, that they thought the same thing about everything and that Fred's opinion was George's too.  
  
He waited for a brief pause before turning to look at Fred and say, "It worked better than we thought it would, but a note for next time - blue is definitely the better colour". Fred laughed and then nodded his agreement before taking off where they had stopped- in the middle of a race to the table.  
  
Percy entered the kitchen almost 10 minutes later. He had scrubbed as hard as he could to rid himself of the faint orange stain but it had stuck fast, even after a dousing with the industrial strength stain remover that his mother used in the twin's room.  
  
Fred and George snickered at him for a while, but it was no more outrageous than the time they had dyed his hair a flashing green. Molly placed a plate of steaming food down in front of him and smiled at the neon orange colour of his eyebrows.  
  
Arthur blinked once or twice and then grinned madly as he remembered that Percy had gone for the exam, it seemed logical to him that Percy would come home a different colour than the one he left with. He had only seen Snape a few times but judging from his skin colour it happened to people in the field.  
  
@ @ @ @  
  
Dinner was a quiet affair, and when Percy went up to his room he realised that his mind had been a million miles away. He was tired mentally and physically and the only thing he wanted to do for the next few years was lay down and sleep.  
  
As he climbed the stairs he cursed the fact that he had the second bedroom from the top, which meant he still had a fair number of stairs to go. By the time he reached his bedroom he was too weary to check for the usual traps set by the twins.  
  
He pushed open the door rather violently and closed his eyes slowly as a bucket full red fizzing dye poured out all over his body. He opened his eyes just in time to see the bucket drop onto his nicely made bed and soak it with the remains of the mixture.  
  
There must be something said about the person who can get a bucket of dye dumped on them and not rage, it is either that they are too kind or they live with pranksters like Fred and George. Percy muttered a quick drying spell on his bed and his clothes then slipped into bed. He could always get them in trouble in the morning.  
  
@ @ @ @  
  
You must have realised that I am yet another short chapter person. I can't help it, I have a really short attention span!  
  
Please review, I want to know what I can do to fix up my story. I'm sorry about any spelling or grammatical errors that might be in this story, I try to edit them all, I really do. 


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